


Red Earth

by Kasan_Soulblade



Series: Of Shattered Glass/These Warped Perspectives [13]
Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: Escapes, Family of Choice, Forgetting, Gen, Noishe is a demon dog, Spoilers, begining of a family, dwarf values, escapades, human values, pre-symphonia, seeking what is lost, to Dirk anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-12
Updated: 2014-03-12
Packaged: 2018-01-15 12:57:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1305658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kasan_Soulblade/pseuds/Kasan_Soulblade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set immediately after "Double Edged Sword", this piece is a bridge between it and the Shards series.  Part of the "Foundations of a Fall" arch.</p>
<p>Because though Dirk would have called him son first day out Lloyd wasn't ready.  Wouldn't be ready, not for a long long time.  This is the time before they bonded, a time before they were family. </p>
<p>When one little boy was healing from the loss of everything that he knew and was losing his memories for that healing he lived with a the memory keeper who couldn't talk, and Dirk who wanted nothing to do with light sheared remembrances. </p>
<p>No one got exactly what they wanted, but such was life.  And for the life that they could make for themselves.. that was yet to be seen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 "Red Earth"

Chapter one

 

 

 

He was a plague, a plague that tried both patience and calm, and a very picky plague at that. Dirk merely rolled his eyes as Lloyd wandered off to yet again pester someone wearing a cape. What was with the boy and capes? Every time they'd come to town for supplies the same cycle would occur. Dirk would go to the general goods store and Lloyd would pounce on the nearest person wearing a cloak. He'd give it a sharp tug and just stare at the person as they stared at him. It was almost as if the lad thought that there was something special about people wearing cloaks, as if he was looking for a certain someone who'd wear a cloak. And perhaps the most frustrating thing of it was that no matter how insistently the person whose cloak was bunched in those small hands asked, Lloyd would never tell them what he wanted.

"Strange little boy." The shop keep said coolly, pointedly ignoring the cheerful child who had attached himself to his apron strings and was giving them a tug. "Haven't you ever considered restraining him?"

"Once," Dirk shuddered, stood on his tip toes and grabbed the mess of jells, food, and toiletries that he'd just purchased. "When he took me with him on one of his pouncin's I figured I'd just let him have his way."

"Huh, he's what... four years old, a tough little guy to be dragging you along master blacksmith. Could you do something about him before I lose my pants?"

"He's three, and yes I'll do something about him Errus. Lloyd, lad enough." The picture of complete obedience Lloyd let go of the moon faced man's apron with a small smile. "What do you say when you bother someone?"

"Sorry?" Lloyd did not sound at all apologetic.

"Aye, so what do you say to Mr. Errus?"

"Your silly apron's funny!"

Errus' face went red and Lloyd giggled.

"It seems as if you have a long way to go with this one Mr. Irving." Errus' tone was cold. "A very long way by my reckon."

"He's just being a kid." Dirk opened his packs and slipped everything inside, asking Lloyd to help carry anything was a mistake, as whatever the boy would take would become unwrapped during the course of the walk home. He'd lost an apple jell like that once and Lloyd had been so thrilled to be able to turn himself red.

He'd been less thrilled when Dirk had made him take a bath, had physically held him down in the tub and scrubbed him.

"The mayor's been wanting to talk to you Dirk, and I have a feeling it's not going to be a friendly chat, you know how he is about non-humans."

"And the boy being with me's stuck in his craw huh?" Dirk stroked his long brown beard, his earth brown eyes narrowed and Errus knew what that look meant. The dwarf merely told the shop keep to have a good day then with a nod walked out with the boy serving as his shadow. His step was different and his eyes were partially narrowed. Oh yes, Errus knew _that_ look, he'd been selling Dirk goods for two years and he'd seen that look on the dwarfs face when he talked about Desian's...

Or when he was going to have a fight with the mayor.

"Stubborn as a mountain." The pale human muttered to himself leaning on the counter. "Mountain verses that old goat, I'm glad I put my money on the mountain, it'll get me some profit."

Errus felt sorry for the mayor, but he recalled what the man had been saying about Dirk, all the back talk and such. He stopped feeling sorry for the mayor then.

He knew many who’d want to take a gander to know what was going to happen, and being one of those folks he decided to be present. With a grin cutting across his milky face the shopkeeper went to the door, pulled out a key and a sign. He hung the sign over said door, locked up behind him all the while humming a jig. When he started on the path that lead to the roundabout way to the mayor’s house he noticed that no few other folk were doing the same. In a few minutes time the sleepy little marketplace was going to be empty as empty could get.

In a way Dirk was entertainment for the whole town, he was the only one who fought for anyone else. Most people nodded, went along with whatever the grey beard wanted, but not Dirk. You say one word about a wrong that the mayor was doing in Dirk's presence then you got out of the way because Dirk would move mountains, go through walls, and (rumor held in once case he actually had) kick down doors to get what was right and good done. Because of that most folk liked Dirk, certainly Errus did, and even if some Gald weren't on the line he'd have gone to the upcoming spectacle anyways.

Damn shame Dirk wasn't human, he'd have made a good mayor, but if he could somehow keep the boy maybe there would be a new mayor in a few years. Something nice to look forward to, Iselia would never be the same. So humming that jig he went up the dust streets, passed the wooden buildings that housed crops and neighbors and tried not to think about how those neighbors were fast in slipping out of their houses and coming down the road right along with him.

Xxx xxx xxx xxx

"Alright Lloyd, be a good lad, be quiet and don't talk less you're spoken too... I need to talk to the old goat and get some matters straightened out."

"Yes, Mr. Dirk." Lloyd smiled, and Dirk knew what that smile meant.

"I am serious Lloyd, very very serious." Dirk wagged a finger at the brown haired boy, who watched him with an air of someone trying not to laugh. "Aye, Gnome be with us..."

"And Aska and Loony and..."

"Lloyd, please."

Those brown eyes stared at him and the boy nodded. Dirk trusted that nod; Lloyd only nodded when he was being serious. The human pushed aside the hair that got in his eyes and when that grin came back a cold pit formed in Dirk's stomach. He was in trouble because it was that special grin. That grin that made the boy's brown un-earthy eyes sparkle, it made his little teeth gleam and made him absolutely charming and innocent looking. It was the smile of gnome when he played a prank, the smile of a cat getting into butter milk, the smile of that huge green dog of Lloyd's that was about ready to pounce. Trouble and fun, that's what that smile was.

Yet maybe the mayor needed a dose of it, might do him good, certainly it had made Dirk's life better.

"Tell you what lad." The dwarf swung an arm over the boy's shoulders. "Take back what I said, just be yourself, we'll see how it goes."

Lloyd only looked at Dirk, he did not understand all of it.

Dirk did not elaborate, only rapped on the door with a work calloused and clay hued hand and when it open he let Lloyd lose. The mayor would never know what hit him.

Xxx xxx xxx xxx

"You can keep him, I wouldn't take him in, he's obviously wilder then an animal, he's yours!" The potbellied man with glossy black hair gasped about ten minutes later. He was literally panting from chasing Lloyd here and there, terrified that the boy would knock over everything of value if he strayed so much as an inch from either man's arm reach. Lloyd though was a wanderer and had covered the length and width of the luxurious house with its multitude of rooms many times. When rooms got boring the boy got to exploring the under and overs of every piece of furniture he could. He had finally settled down and with a glass jar in hand was entertaining himself by a window.

"Look Mr. Dirk!" Lloyd had finally caught some sun light in a jar, or so he thought, the second the boy moved it the glint that Lloyd had thought was sun light disappeared. "Where'd it go?"

"Sunlight's a tricky thing to catch lad you just need some more practice."

"Oh." Lloyd frowned at the sun beam that had been eluding all of his efforts to be captured. He was completely ignorant of the mayor's disgust with him, intent on his little game. Frankly Dirk didn't see a reason to stare and sputter at such an innocent little past time. Wasn't like the boy was destroying anything. The only thing that he might be doing wrong was he was making a point to ignore the mayor's son. The children had looked at each other and they both began to ignore each other. Though both men had made a halfhearted attempt to get the children to talk to each other neither would. It was, in Dirk's book, hate at first sight, at least in Ivan's case. The mayor's son glared at Lloyd when he wasn't pretending to ignore him, in Lloyd's case the boy just immersed himself in his games and would not respond to the older boy’s hostility.

"I'm thinking that even if he wanted to live with you that it wouldn't be wise, if you take my meaning." Dirk jerked his head to Ivan, the boy was ignoring the dwarf and he was staring at Lloyd as if thinking about shoving him.

"There's nothing wrong with my son." The mayor growled, moving to protect his boy from Dirk's gaze it seemed.

"I'm not saying that, what I'm saying is putting them together would be like taking a bag of cats and shaking it."

"What a _quaint_ saying, I'd expect no less from a half man."

Dirk bristled at the words, almost said something cutting. And if there weren't children in the room he would have said a number of things. The dwarf merely gritted his teeth and swallowed his anger.

"Come along Lloyd, we best be headin' back."

"Alright Mr. Dirk."

"So," The mayor said with a touch of cruelty in his voice. "Mr. Irving isn't your father is he boy?"

"No, Papa's on a trip."

"Really." The mayor's lips curled into a smile. "What type of trip?"

"A pilgrimage."

Dirk blinked, taken aback by Lloyd's answer, and he wondered where the lad had gotten it. He then walked up to his charge and took the lads small hand in his. He tugged gently and the boy with a warm smile got to his feet. They both went for the door, but one step out Dirk turned around and looked at the mayor.

"Erik you ever try to hurt him like you just did, ever again, and no one in Iselia won’t get one sculpture, one tool, on nail from my smithy ever again."

The mayor of Iselia said nothing, only glared at Dirk with hate, and much to the dwarf's discomfort Ivan did as well.

Xxx xxx xxx xxx

"Mr. Dirk," Lloyd tapped his feet against the chair and books he was perched on. "Do I hafta?"

"Yes, you do." Dirk tried to look stern but was having a hard time under those large puppy eyes. He was having a hard time thinking with both gazes on him, for two people or rather his boy and the dog, were giving him identical looks of hope.

"But I don't remember!" It was a wail.

"Yes you do, number seven my lad."

Lloyd scowled at him, form being called son or from not getting his way Dirk wasn't sure.

"Love and justice will always win... There I said it, stew?"

"Aye, very good." Dirk put a generous amount of stew in the boy's bowl.

"Whine!" A massive furry weight sidled up behind him.

"No! No stew for dogs!" Dirk crouched over the pot he had held, making it known that the creature would have to get through him to get to the food. " I left you a bowl of food, over there, now eat that!"

"Noshy, I'll give you some stew." Lloyd offered a spoonful to the silver and green giant dog. The gesture was absolutely ridiculous, it would have taken five spoonfuls in the least to give the dog a mouthful. Before Dirk could protest he was shouldered aside and the dog opened its huge mouth. Lloyd cheerful shoved the whole spoon in Noishe's mouth. The wooden utensil went flying as the dog coughed it up.

"Opps, spicy Noshy?"

The dog shook its head then coughed some more.

"That's what you get for eating non-dog food!" Dirk snapped, giving the dog a slight punt. "Eat your food from here on out. I'll get you a different spoon lad." Dirk stared at the slobber covered spoon and then gingerly picked it up before Lloyd could hop out of the chair and get it himself. "I'll be by in a bit, stay put."

The second his back was turned he heard a squeak and thump, again the boy was trying to fly by hopping off the kitchen table. Hearing the panicked yip and happy giggle Dirk knew it was safe enough to rummage through the drawers of his cabinet to find a spoon, he just had to put some speed into it before Lloyd ran off chasing some interesting do-dad and got himself into even more trouble.

When he turned back he saw why the dog was whining, Lloyd had rolled him over on his belly and was tickling every inch he could get his small hands on. Both sighing and smiling Dirk, spoon in one hand, advanced on the pair, and all but dragged Lloyd away from his dog and plunked him down on the chair.

"You can play some more with your dog after you eat lad." Dirk said, putting the spoon in the boy's bowl and giving him a long look. Taking the hint Lloyd sighed, looked at his dog then seeing he wasn't going to be able to play ate. The second the last drop of stew was over he muttered a few gracious words to Dirk then slipped out of the chair and went back to his wrestling match with the green and white dog. Dirk smiled, watched the two in their play then seeing it get a little too wild ordered them outside. He rushed through the dishes, put the extra stew in some spare bowls and sealed them best he could, then went to the front door. He didn't join in the play, a grown dwarf just _didn't_ play, it wasn't how things were done, but he watched the two from the door with a smile on his bearded face. He watched that bundle of energy and no longer wondered how his own pa had gotten half of his grey hairs. Aye he'd earn a fair number of them watching this young one. Despite knowing that Dirk smiled, he decided as Lloyd tackled that huge dog of his and they both rolled into a puddle and discovered just how cold it was with near identical yalps that it would be worth every hair, every stress.


	2. Understanding

Red Earth

Chapter 2

Understanding

His breath steamed in the air, let out a small puff of white cloud. He shivered, scared and worried, but not for himself. It had been a handful of months; time seemed to fly when you were chasing a youngling around day in and out. It had been winter when he'd found the boy, it had been the beginning of the cold season, a time filled with icy rains and yellow grass. Now it was the beginning of spring, or it was supposed to be. The crown of the thane hung over heaven, the diamond crown of wisdom and light were what the sages of his people called it. Human's called it Martel's crown, as did his boy. His boy who was supposed to be tucked in a nice warm bed in this all too cold night and not outside! Stomping and muttering white clouds that were all too pure for the words he used Dirk stomped to the mess of boards and posts that served as the dog's new house. Too many nights of yalps and squeaks, too many nights of tussling had kept him up and he'd had enough.

It was the one thing he'd done that had set his charge to tears, and even tears would not sway him. No one was getting enough sleep with that _dog_ pouncing Lloyd all hours of the night, and since it had been proven the dog couldn't behave itself a little pen had been made for it outside.

For the first month every single night he'd hear Lloyd sneak outside, he'd gone after him, dragged him back inside and the boy seemed to get the idea he was supposed to stay in bed at night. He'd been good for the last two weeks, spending and hour or so with the dog before turning in then staying in bed through all the dark hours. Tonight, of all the cold and chilly nights, why'd the boy have to now act up and go outside? He was going to get sick in this cold, and knowing his boy he'd again forgotten coat, blanket, and boots. Dirk had come armed with all three, tromped across half green half frozen grass and went to the stall a few scolding words on his lips.

Hearing his approach the creature in the pen whined and draped its huge head over the side of its _home_. It stared at him blearily as if it had just been woken up. That froze Dirk in his tracks; he scanned the shadows around the pen and did not see the boy, and in building panic even opened the door to the animal's pen and looked inside. There was no hint of Lloyd, and catching the dwarf's panicked search Noishe whined. He strolled out of the pen, sniffed at the air then calmly trotted off to the other side of the house. Baffled Dirk followed and as he passed the locked shed that served him as a smithy and rounded the corner.

And they found Lloyd, and where he was set the dwarf's stomach and heart to clenching.

He lay, asleep, having forgotten coat, boots, blanket, or tunic, at the base of a stone. It was a stone Dirk had been working on, a project that he'd set himself to though he wasn't sure if it was right. He'd spent a long time mulling it over, then finally had asked the boy if it would be alright since he was the only surviving kin. Lloyd had, after understanding a concept that left most others uncomfortable, agreed. He had said in a small somber voice that he'd "be able to visit Mommy lots now" and with that permission and encouragement Dirk had set to carving the stone into a grave. It wasn't where the poor lasses body lay but Dirk was not taking Lloyd to the edge of the ranch, it would be best for the sake of safety to have the grave here.

And that thought had been wise, the part of his heart that wasn't hurting now saw the wisdom, that thought had been wise but a type that cut and hurt.

Small hands were draped around the stone, his cheek was pillowed on cold tamed earth and his wild brown hair had fallen into his face. By the starlight he could see tracks running down the boy's cheeks, wet tracks that looked silver in the light. The child’s legs were tucked under him, and even in sleep he shivered and looked horribly lonely.

Quietly setting the boots and coat aside Dirk went to Lloyd, the boy was limp, cold, and did not wake up even as the dwarf wrapped him in the blanket and carried him back to the house. He could not manage stairs and boy, so he took the child to his room and tucked him in his bed. Through it all Lloyd slept, muttered something in his sleep, then rolled over.

"Poor lad," Dirk pushed aside a strand of dark brown that obscured his charge's face. "My poor lad, time will make it stop hurting, I promise."

And as if to respond Lloyd rolled away from the touch, a subconscious denial of the dwarf's words. Gulping down on that annoying lump that gathered in his throat from time to time Dirk slipped out of the room, and left his boy to what sleep he could find on a dwarf's bed.

Xxx xxx xxx xxx

"What are you doing still out, in the ca- errr pen with you!" Dirk waved his hands at the massive silver and green dog who had taken Lloyd's place at the grave.

Noishe only looked up from staring at the half carved rock, and it was to the dwarf's surprise to see tears run down that great furry face.

"I'm sorry lad," Dirk stuttered, shocked by the emotion on the animal's face. "She must have been something special to you eh?"

"Whine..." Noishe's ears drooped and he went back to staring at the grave.

"Did I do wrong to take the lad in, to make this grave?" Dirk whispered, he came forward, stroked the side of the stone that was still warm from Lloyd's touch. "If I have will you forgive me? I took your child, you were dying and you told me to, and now I raise your little boy and don't even know your name yet I owe you all of this. I... I don't think your man is coming back for the boy, it's been too long...If it were my boy I'd have come even if both legs were broke and I was wounded that wouldn't have stopped me and if your man was anything like your boy then I'd say the only way he was stopped is if the Desian's that killed you killed him. How do I tell him that, that his pa is dead? Should I or wait until he comes to that idea himself? "

Dirk sighed, sniffed at a winter laden breeze that whispered around him and chuckled at himself.

"Superstitious star chasing dwarf." He grumbled at himself with a slight smile on his lips. "She aint there, she's gone to Gnome now, or where ever humans go when gone... Just a rock... and you you're just a dog!" He growled, whirling on the massive hound. "A dog who should be in his pen, now go! Inside with you, you catch a cold from cuddling a rock and my boy will skin you and me both alive."

Noishe stared at him for a long time, met his eyes and a chill ran down Dirk's back, the look the dog was giving him was at best described as unfriendly. But the dog did get up, arched its back and let out a tremendous yawn as it found it's paws. Before leading though the dog rubbed his face against the grave, a doggish caress Dirk guessed, then wandered out of the dwarf's sight. There was the sound of a door opening, and not the pen's door, that made Dirk run back to his house. He got there just in time to hear the door's lock click closed. After a moment of banging on the door the dog strolled to a window, those flat unfriendly brown eyes glared at him from behind the glass panel, then the dog turned his head and stared at him with a thread in those jaws.

"Don't you dare!" Dirk howled, fighting with the door and giving the dog a good of a death glare as he was getting.

The thread was tugged and the curtain closed. And every curtain on the ground level was closed in the same manner. Desperate the dwarf tried to open one of the windows and crawl through, and he'd be damned that dog locked all of them too. Shivering, cold, miserable Dirk stormed to the grave, snatched up the boots and coat then snarling a few curses, and since it was the only shelter he had he went to the pen. It was a long cold and miserable night for Dirk, a very long cold and miserable night, and he spent it wondering if there was some way he couldn't get rid of the mutt.

Xxx xxx xxx xxx

"Faster Noshy!" Lloyd his sides a firm tap. Needing no other prompts Noishe ran around the clearing around the house. He dodged this way and that, ducking under the close line and barking with cheer as his rider squeaked at the multi colored garment that hung ghost like in mid air. The ride ended with a whine and squeal as both of them went flying into a grassy patch of ground. A series of loud clangs and hisses from the smithy told the two who were at play that Dirk was yet again working on some random project, they paid no heed though since they were both banned from going anywhere near the place. So Lloyd took his energy out on Noishe, and they both ran around tagging each other or in whirlwind rides that always made "Mr. Dirk" go very pale and make him shake.

Noishe always made a point of doing these rides when Dirk was watching, when he was taking a break from his work and wanted to relax. The dwarf with a mutter would go back into the nice comforting inside of the smithy and leave them alone after watching one of those rides. It was petty he knew, stupid even, but they could spend a lot of time without the dwarf's company and that was what Noishe wanted. He fought down a growl as he heard the dwarf walk over to them, managed a bark instead that while friendly sounding did nothing to warm his eyes. He whined with true feeling behind it when Lloyd stopped petting his belly and turned to the dwarf.

"Do you ever play any _normal_ dog games with your dog by any chance?"

"No." Lloyd looked confused, but Noishe had a faint inkling where this idea was going and didn't quite like it. He would have run off, braved the monsters of the forest if he'd seen a leash or any slip of leather that resembled a collar, as it was the stick in the dwarf's hand was not very comforting.

"Fetch, fetch is a _normal_ dog game. You take this here stick and give it a throw and the dog goes after the stick and brings it back."

"And?" Lloyd looked like he wasn't getting it at all.

"Well you throw the stick again and he fetches it back to you."

"That sounds boring, Noshy rides are funner."

Noishe barked his agreement, and licked Lloyd's head in gratitude.

"Smart dogs like fetch." Dirk said with an evil look on his face.

So this was payback for last night hmm? Fine he could play that game too. Noishe whined, barked, and then snatched the stick from Dirk's hand. The dwarf managed to put up a struggle, held onto the stick, but a sharp shake on Noishe's part made Dirk lose his grip and fall to the earth. The _dog_ then jerked his head as sharply as he could and set the stick to flying, he barked, shoved on the downed dwarf with his paws and Dirk staggered a few steps after the stick against his will. Wagging his tail Noishe met the short creature's eyes then winked.

Lloyd of course was laughing, which was what Noishe had really wanted to get anyways.

"Silly Noshy, you're supposed to chase the stick not make Mr. Dirk chase it!"

Noishe managed a whine that sounded as unapologetic as he felt and Lloyd went back to giving his belly a rub. Dirk only grumbled, went after the stick, and took it and his wounded pride back to his smithy and went back to work.

Xxx xxx xxx xxx

It was war, a war for the boy's time and Dirk realized that he was losing, and losing badly. He had access to the boy every meal, at night and in the very wee hours of the morning. But that dog had him every other second. Lloyd was nice enough to him, was polite, good natured, but nothing more than that. He still went to the dog when lonely, scared, every nightmare, every time he missed his family he would hear those little feet slip outside. It was hard to admit, hard to take, but Dirk was jealous. He wanted the boy to come to him, he wanted to be there for the lad, but Lloyd did not see him like that. Noishe was Lloyd's family, his only family, and he wasn't opening himself up to anyone else.

Dirk knew he didn't know much about humans but what he did know was that the boy was doing himself no good by only opening himself to one person. And the dwarf didn't quite see Noishe as a person, he wasn't he was just a very sneaky dog. Grumbling to himself Dirk set aside the bowls from dinner, and glared at the huge green and silver dog. It was raining, and Lloyd had gone so far as to yell, to keep the dog indoors tonight. Dirk had folded, grudgingly, and while Lloyd went to bed in his room dog and dwarf were trapped with each other in the living room.

"Don't you bite me mutt, don't you growl, or bark, or out you go." Dirk warned, waving a finger at the massive creature that if it sat on him would probably crush him.

Noishe only glared at him, then found his paws and took himself to the far corner of the room. Satisfied there would be no trouble from that one Dirk walked to his long table that was covered with wood and nails and odd and ends and went to working on the jewelry box for the local high priestess Phardia. He'd finished with the box itself, it was sturdy, of that he was sure, now all it needed was some decoration. He frowned at the grain of the wood, tried to figure where best to start, then finding that spot he wanted Dirk set his small carving knife to the maple and went to work. It was only two hours later when he heard the ladder smash down into the stairs.

So soon? Lloyd had only had a nightmare two eve's ago! Dirk frowned and shook his head, setting tool and craft aside waited. Noishe did not wait, he got to his paws and went to the stairs, taking them with a soundless grace that was sur-real. There was a sob, a whimper that came from a human throat and it was then Dirk scooted out of his chair. He worked his way up the steps, and came to a sight that made his heart ache. They stood on the landing, Lloyd had his hands wrapped around the dog's mane and was sobbing like a lost thing into the beasts chest. A soft sound, a kind of hum and rumble came from the dog's chest, a cooing. Noishe worked a paw around the lad's shoulders and awkwardly swatted the boy in an attempt to hug? Impossible, it was a dog, not a human, it wouldn't understand...

And yet Noishe did, it seemed as if the dog understood better than the dwarf.

Shamed, Dirk flushed, considered giving them privacy.

As he had all the times before, as he merely lay in his bed eyes opened wondering if it was his place to intervene, to intrude. He could do that, just stand and watch, or he could try to do something of his own. He had made an offer, a promise to the child, and lying in bed, turning away, that would be breaking his word.

"Shh lad, it's alright, there aren't any bad people here, it's just me and your dog."

He stepped forward, and that landing became very cramped but he managed to get his arms around Lloyd. Noishe didn't so much tower over them as press around them, and for one fleeting moment Dirk wondered how in Gnomes name they were going to get off of this little landing, but that thought soon dissolved as he continued to hold the child and felt those tears came out.

"Shh lad, you're safe here with us... Shh no more tears."

Lloyd hic-upped, and the tears did slow, did stop. He rested his head on Dirk's shoulder and sniffled.

"You want to tell me about it, talk?"

Dirk felt Lloyd shake his head, felt it as he felt the wild heartbeat. The boy was pale as a ghost, his face pinched with terror. Dirk would not demean what the boy felt by calling it fear; it was beyond fear, almost hysterics.

"You feeling a bit better now?"

Lloyd nodded, and Noishe worked his huge head around to lick away the tears. Lloyd giggled, patted the dog on it's huge head then looked at Dirk. It seemed as if he didn't quite know what to do, like he'd never been comforted by a person before. Dirk almost protested as he too was patted but bit his tongue and with a hug set the boy on his way. Dog and dwarf were alone on the stair way, they both watched the ladder disappear into the boy's room then looked at each other. Noishe squirmed, nearly crushed Dirk into a wall in his haste to get away from him. A silent hop, and the dog seemed to glide down the ten steps that separated landing from floor. He turned looked back to him, and perhaps there wasn't so much hostility in those dark eyes.

Well it was a start, Dirk told himself as the dog turned away from him to go back to its corner. It wasn't much but a start. But that's how starts went.


	3. Plans

Plans

Chapter 3

The cold was going away, it was going away and he didn't want it to. It was going away and with it everything else was going away too. Lloyd closed his eyes, every day it was harder to remember. There was a black wall in his head, a wall he couldn't touch or see, but he felt, and it was in his head. It never went away, it made him forget more and more and he didn't wanna. He lay by Noishe having slipped out to star gaze and think about the wall. One finger absently followed the circles in Noishe's fur, one of the silver spinney circle things that stood out against the white only in the star light. Noishe didn't care, didn't mind, only looked at him and at the sky.

"Daddy usta star watch with me didn't he?"

It was hard to say that, the wall in his head didn't want him to think about Daddy, and neither did the dwarf or the towns peoples. He'd heard them talk, saw them smile when he asked them if they'd seen his Daddy. It was a sad smile, a kind of sad that made him squirm. He gulped back on the tears he felt in his eyes, he'd already cried on Noshy he wasn't going to do it again. Noishe only nodded, licked him on the head and whined.

"It hurts Noshy."

Noishe looked to him in understanding, he knew it wasn't an ouch ache or missing ache. It was a wall ache, an empty ache and it hurt worse then and ouch he'd ever gotten, ever. Mr. Dirk while he was really nice didn't understand. The mayor, and the doctor in Iselia who were not so nice didn't understand. Only Noshy did.

"Daddy isn't coming, that's what all the smart people tell me. Daddy isn't coming back..." Tears squeaked out past his eyes and he shivered, tried not to cry. Other people got sad when he cried so he had been trying really hard not to cry no more. Noishe whined, licked him, and that was enough to bring out the tears. He buried himself into the silky softness of Noishe's mane and bawled. He looked up, saw bobbing light of a candle in one of the windows, and he knew Mr. Dirk was coming. He gulped, shivered, and whipped at his eyes hiding all his tears away deep down inside. He snuggled into Noshy, stroked Noshy's scratch spot and a huge leg reared up and started scratching where his hand was. Lloyd giggled, scooted over so the leg stopped smacking him and buried Noishe in a hug.

"Playing are you lad?" Dirk's voice was soft, rumble-y, like a tummy that wasn't full.

Lloyd only looked up from Noishe and smiled, nodded.

"It's late, you should head inside."

"I wanna star gaze Mr. Dirk, just a little longer... please?"

Mr. Dirk muttered some not so nice words at the cold under his breath than sighed.

"I don't feel too comfortable about you doing it alone, how 'bout I fetch us some blankets and pillows and we make an outing of it?"

Lloyd frowned, star gazing was a thing for him and Noshy and... And Daddy. It was secret, special, he wasn't sure he wanted Mr. Dirk to join. Lloyd shook his head, stood. He patted Noishe on the head to say good night then with a smile at Dirk shook his head again and went inside.

"What'd I say?" Dirk scratched at his beard and the dog whined at him, those dark eyes were locked on the blanket Dirk had brought. "There are times I wish you could talk you know that?" Dirk growled as he threw the blanket over the side of the stall. Noishe happily snatched it and bundled himself under it as much as he could. "Something tells me you could tell me a great deal of what I'm doing wrong here."

Noishe half hidden by blanket looked at him with somber brown eyes and Dirk got this chill feeling that the dog would have a lot to say if it could talk, and that same feeling said Dirk would not wish to hear it all. Tilting his head to the heavens the dog stared at the stars, and the stars glittered in it's eyes twin shards of false sky. Dirk turned, looked up, and wondered for not the first time what reverence Lloyd put to the sky. It was beautiful, no doubt about it, but it didn't hold his attention like it did his boys.

" 'Spite all the backtalk you'd be giving me I think I'd like to know what you think a time or two." Dirk admitted to the dog, and he was surprised to see Noishe turn his gaze back onto him. Looking into those fey star filled eyes Dirk backed up a step. He went back to his home eager to put those alien eyes far behind him and think of anything but that creepy dog creature that had come with his charge.

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Lloyd frowned, paced, his small features scrunched up in concentration. The wall was making his head hurt lots now. He glared at the floor, glared at the pain and forced every stinging tear down. He knew, somehow someway, he knew that he would keep forgetting until everything was gone. It scared him the wall and the pain, it scared him because he didn't want to forget. Yet holding onto memories hurt, remembering hurt.

Forgetting hurt worse, it hurt a lot worse.

He was supposed to be sleeping. He'd gone in here let Mr. Dirk tuck him and he'd pretended to sleep. But when Dirk went away Lloyd had kicked off the covers and started walking around and around the room. Daddy did that lots, or Lloyd thought he had. Daddy used to walk back and forth and chase his own shadow with a scary look on his face some nights. Now Lloyd knew why Daddy did it, he wondered if his face was as scary as Daddy's had been sometimes.

He had to do something! This head wall hurt and the only person who could make it better was Daddy. But all the smart people said Daddy couldn't find him, couldn't get to him cuz the bad people weren't letting him. Stupid bad angel people weren't letting Daddy leave home and find him. Well if Daddy couldn't get to him and Dirk and none of the nice Iselia people couldn't find him maybe he should help look too!

Comforted by that thought he went to sleep.

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There was a loud crash, a thud, and he was already out of his bed before his mind could tell him where the sound was. He threw on last night's clothes, and was out the door in a heartbeat. There he came to the site of Lloyd on a chair hopping up and down trying to reach something on the "adult" table. The adult table was actually a human sized table, one that he had taken on as a project but his client had been killed be Desian's. Having no person to give it to Dirk had kept it for himself, not really knowing what else to do with it. Watching Lloyd scramble on top of that table, obviously looking for something, Dirk decided that he'd have to either shorten it or dispose of it. It was far too dangerous to keep, a tumble from up there would hurt Lloyd. Trying to keep the fact that his heart was pounding so hard he could hear it in his hear Dirk barked at Lloyd to get down "this instant". Lloyd ignored him, continued with his search! Sputtering a few warnings Dirk barked at Lloyd to get down, and almost felt his heart stop when both the boy's legs dangled off the side and he had to scramble back up.

"You have the count of three till I go up after you one..."

That got a response, though not the one Dirk wanted. Lloyd squeaked, then slid off the edge of the table and landed at Dirk's feet with a laugh. Gods of earth did the boy have no sense in him! Dirk's question was then answered when the boy went to the stove and eyed it like he was thinking of climbing.

"No!" Dirk barked, it was a short stove, meant for a dwarf, but that still did not make it any safer. He wasn't such a fool to keep the fire burning at night, but if Lloyd got the idea it was safe to climb on now he would think nothing of it when there was a fire going. He snagged Lloyd's arm, spun the boy around and glared at those playful eyes. He began to scold the child, to use words to bring the boy up short, but Lloyd paid him no heed, spotted something of interest and broke free of his grip and went after it. Something, some calm not as shaken up part told him to calm, to see what Lloyd was so intent on finding. The rest of him want to yell at the boy, scold him. For once Dirk listened to that calm part of him, he watched as Lloyd pushed aside a small bird house Dirk had been carving for the shopkeep's wife. Lloyd had knocked it, and several other projects over in his wanderings and come up with... Paper? Anger lost in confusion Dirk joined the boy who was almost as tall as he was. The dwarf watched as Lloyd opened up the folded parchment, and in the boy's hands was a map. What in Gnome's name did the child want with a map that he was willing to wreck the whole house to find it?

"Pictures!" Lloyd chirped, unfolded the map with surprising skill and then promptly turned it upside down.

"A map, my map." Dirk corrected, reaching out he turned the map over so it was going in the right direction. "Now what did you want this for?"

Lloyd only stared at it for a long time, then he folded it and handed it back to Dirk. When Dirk again asked Lloyd only stared at the dwarf, and it reminded the craftsman of the look he'd give to those whose cloak he tugged. It was a lost sad look, a look that said that the questioner would not understand because the child did not understand. It was unnerving, so much so that when Lloyd asked to go outside to play with Noishe Dirk let him, forgetting his lecture. Alone the dwarf looked around. Every craft that had rested on the table had been knocked down, the pantry door had been opened in the kitchen and all their rations spilled out. Lloyd had quite literally ripped the house apart so he could stare at a map for all of ten minuets.

"I'll never understand children..." Dirk sighed, then set himself to cleaning up the mess and working on breakfast, trying his best to forget those lost and empty eyes.

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"Night Noshy!" Lloyd patted the dog's head, he was strangely subdued, sad even. Noishe it seemed picked up on it to, whined, and stared at Lloyd. The dog did not give the boy a good night lick, but tried to snag the scruff of Lloyd's tunic to wheel him back in. Dirk smacked that huge snout when Lloyd wasn't looking, and the dog glared daggers at him, both put on their masks of friendliness when Lloyd returned. Dirk's charge spent a length of time stroking his dog's face, then almost wistfully left the pen. He ate all of his dinner, did not protest the dwarven vow as was his habit, and seemed... extraordinarily well behaved. He tried to help pick up after dinner, succeeding in only dropping his plate, then decided to push it over to the oversized bucket that served as a sink. In the dwarf's home almost everything was oversized. What he couldn't make he had to buy, and humans always made stuff in their size with no thoughts of someone smaller coming along with need. It was -the pun was inevitable- short sighted, but understandable to some extent so Dirk made do with little complaint. The young dwarf, young in the eyes of his people old in the eyes of humans, stared at his human child in confusion. In his one hundred years he had never seen someone so young become so obedient and quiet in a short span.

The earth was rumbling with hint of a quake, and he was going to find out what this all was about before it bucked under him and knocked him from his feet.

"That's enough lad!" Dirk took the silverware from dinner from Lloyd before it went into the cupboard uncleaned. "I'll handle all this, you just go on and umm play in the main room."

"Yes Mr. Dirk."

Dirk threw the dishes into the bucket filled with water and took up the brown cake of soap. He lathered up a rag he'd set aside for cleaning, and went at it for all of a minute, the lack of sound though from the other room was positively un-nerving, he could not concentrate well with the racket but it's absence was so disturbing he could not function it seemed. He abandoned his task, after all dishes weren't the most important thing in the world, and strolled into the main room. Lloyd was only sitting by a window, staring that the setting sun.

"This doesn't look like playing to me." Dirk said quietly, and the boy turned to him and started, as if in guilt. "Aye, something's the matter, out with it, are you feeling bad, any aches of pains?"

"Nope."

"Dwarven vow number eleven lad 'Lying is the first step to the path of thievery.' Now out with it."

Lloyd only looked at him helplessly, shrugged, this time Dirk wasn't going to let the matter drop so fast.

"Lloyd the truth never hurts, Lying does, you're hurting me with this Lying, so tell me the truth alright?"

"al..alright.."

"Now then, what's wrong?"

"My head hurts."

"I'll make you some of that headache tea that the doctor made for you then. If it was something like that then why didn't you say so sooner. You've been having that headache all day when you could have had it only for a little bit." Dirk scolded gently, going to the kitchen to fetch the medicine.

"No, not that!"

"I know it tastes bad but..."

"No!" Lloyd shook his head frantically. "A inside head hurt... not a sick head hurt or a ouch hurt!"

A dwarf is one of the most practical creatures in the world. There intelligence is a slow piling of facts and logic into a great wall that the capricious nature of change cannot penetrate. Intuition is an avalanche of that pile, a destruction. The past is revered, honored, and the main goal of a dwarf's life is to stray as little away from the past as they could. Dirk was different, believed in intuition as a tool though he never much had a care for it himself. He enjoyed the present as it was and wondered at the future from time to time.

Yet if Dirk was different then Lloyd was alien to the dwarvish thought. He discarded logic, knowledge and just jumped into things, tried to explain to Dirk these things that he jumped into. Because these things, nightmares, dreams, star chases, and tales, they were a part of Lloyd, a part that had no connection to that pile that Dirk had set his life around. Slow and steady was the rule, the stones of life and thought to keep out dangerous change and contamination were still around Dirk. That wall kept him from seeing as Lloyd did, would not allow him to understand what Lloyd was saying.

"Nonsense, you just bumped your head this morning that's all, I'll get you your medicine."

Lloyd only looked at him with those sad sad eyes and shook his head.

"I don't wanna, I'm gunna go to sleep now. ‘Night Mr. Dirk."

"Good night lad."

Lloyd made no reply and the dwarf only heard the soft pitter-patter of human feet struggling up stairs.


	4. Saving in the unconventual sense

Saving...

Chapter 4

 

 

Father Tylor was a priest, the most unlikely type of priest around. He was ancient, claimed his flock, sporting a walking stick and pronounced limp at the age of twenty that he just as swiftly discarded on whim and would act his true age of five or so. He was on the outside a man or warm smiles, sporting wild red hair that always fell into his cat green eyes. People could have called those eyes piercing, his temperament hot, if he had any of those traits. If any of his flock in Tiret were to ask him why he wasn't like all the other people in the stories, all fiery and hot he'd either say it was hot enough outside and they needed no more heat or that he was just trying to annoy the people who made that rule up. Normal that would set his group of children that were always trailing along behind him to laughter, as it was supposed to.

Tylor loved the sound of children's laughter, loved to laugh himself, and would go out of his way to make someone smile of laugh be they adult or child. Half the people in Triet were offended by him because he scorned the "proper" traditional distance a priest was to maintain from the populace, the more sensible other half laughed at his jokes and forgot the fact he was a priest, which Tylor often did himself.

He liked wind chimes and bells, not those huge clanging bells that some poor acolyte would have to ring every hour on the hour, he hated those bells -rumor held he had to ring them himself when he was a acolyte and that's where he developed that hate- but the cheerful bells that would jangle on the fancy tack of a horse were the ones he favored. So much so that when a stable owner gave him a handful of those bells for the winter festival as a gift he sewed them into the topmost fold of his boots and only wore those boots from then on out. His pattering jangling feet would go up and down the dust choked streets of Triet, those in good condition and ill, and any child who followed the priest would be lead to the towns little hidden chapel. There he would offer water, bread, and tell stories of the old days, faithful and non-faithful left their children with him so that they could work or tend to tasks underfoot and thanked him graciously on their return to pick up their off spring.

At least that's how it was in the beginning. After a year's time the children came all on their own, the common joke was that the roosters could all be cooked because the priest came at suns rising more loyally then the sun itself. For a span of two hours he would be in the chapel by himself to pray -that's what he told the younglings the wiser knew that he would slip off his robes and boots toss on a common man's garb and go to a tavern and strike up a game of darts or cards with some of the more friendly and sober patrons- then preach formally one a day at sunset.

So it was the one afternoon when he did not come to cards that the patrons grew worried, the whole tavern grew worried, and tavern and half the people on that street tromped down to that small little white building to find the door locked. Fearing the worst they broke down the door and scared Tylor and an elder priest who was visiting senseless.

"Oh boy I'm in trouble now..." Tylor muttered to himself, staring at the citizens then at the priest to catch the old man's reaction.

"We were worried father, you weren't there to umm bless the card game at the Sun's Roost Tav- er Inn."

"Don't bother Jhaun I'm in trouble, no getting around it."

The town could hear the older man's howls that replaced the relaxed sermon that night. "Cards, gambling, drinking... oh you don't touch the stuff hmm why do I doubt that! You're being transferred in a fortnight's time and someone more...You have no right to protest I have seniority in this, I'm a Voice of Martel, you a mere pastor and if you don't sober up and act accordingly that's all you'll ever be! You're going to Iselia to serve under Phardia, and that's final!"

So it was the next night that Tylor informed the unsurprised but angry people of Triet of his superior's decision. He didn't bother to hide it, did not seem bitter over the arrangement, and his last days there were more an attempt to sooth the bitterness of his congregation then anything else. He left the town as he entered it, on foot, black cloak obscuring his white robes, his walking staff taping a little ditty against the sands. What was different however was the flood of people who looked forlornly after him, already missing their Martel priest, then they turned on the man who had replaced their Tylor with a certain maliciousness as if to blame him on the young man's dismissal.

Tylor sighed, looked back only once so that his flock would feel obligated to not maim the new priest while he was in sight, then picked his way to Iselia. He traveled at first in the cool night, but when he passed into the green lands beyond Triet spent his first day up and his night sleeping. That made him so out of sorts he decided he was ill suited to travel. After all travel was supposed to be enjoyable but how could you enjoy it half asleep? So he spent a day... or three days -who was counting?- on the road watching the spring time world beyond the dessert with a wonder suited to someone not seeing it before in a years’ time. On the fourth day he gave himself a mental kick in the pants, packed up his tent, and began to jingle down the road to Iselia, and at the soft sound cries of pain he stopped, looked around, and found the saddest looking child he'd ever seen in his life nursing a swollen ankle. Frowning, a sight that would have stunned the people of Triet, Tylor picked up the youngster and carried him to the, thank the Goddess, nearby house of salvation.

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Lloyd hopped out of bed when he heard the dwarf's first snore. He yawned, it was night and he was sleepy and the bed looked really nice. No, he had to do this! Grimacing Lloyd swung his feet over the side of the bed. Quiet as a mouse he slipped out of the room, tip toed down the stairs and snook into the kitchen. Spotting the jar with Noshy's treats Lloyd pulled out the chair and climbed up onto the table. He popped open the lid, picked out all the jerky he could and managed to get outside with a bit of difficulty. He went to Noshy's room and "shushed" his doggie. Noishe was very quiet, especially when a small rain of jerky fell from Lloyd's hands. Giggling Lloyd watched Noishe eat every piece of "non-dog food" with enjoyment. He patted his doggie's fluffy head whispered good night, than went to see Momma. He hugged Momma, though she couldn't hug back no more, and said bye-bye. He gulped down his tears then seeing that Noshy was going back to bed tip toed not to the house but to the bridge and into the forest.

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There was a thump, a loud thump, and at that sound he hopped out of bed expecting to see the walls fall down or the earth shaking. Another thump, a howl, and Dirk was on his feet working on his clothes that he set aside for the day. He ran out of his room, calling for Lloyd...

And there was no answer. He ran around the ground floor checking every place he could think the boy would and could hide, even opening up the oven, and he wasn't there. He took the steps two at a time, no mean feat because his legs were so short, and at the top his blood went to ice. The ladder was down, and he scrambled up it to find the bed empty. There was another howl, a louder thump, and Dirk jumped down forsaking the ladder and ran outside.

And what a sight awaited him.

Mane bristled in anger; teeth bared in fury Lloyd's dog did not look like a dog anymore. He looked like a monster. Howling, no roaring, he kicked at the door to his pen. The three locks Dirk had put on the door, to keep the crafty beast in at night and not wondering as was its want, shuddered under the force of the kick. As a matter of fact those locks were the only thing keeping the door from flying out into the creek. Another howl, more of a scream really and there was another heart stopping kick and thump.

"Where is he!" Dirk bellowed, all but ripping out his beard in worry. "By the Gods if you hurt him I'll.."

"BARK!" Noishe slammed his shoulder into the door, then gave the dwarf a very firm look as if to say "do something about this!".

"Where's my boy?" Dirk growled, and Noishe growled back baring very impressive teeth in what was not a smile.

"Whine bark!" Noishe turned and kicked at the door again, and Dirk stared in shock for bits of wood went flying under those paws, and the paws themselves were bloody due to splinters caught under the claws. Still Noishe kick and kicked at the door, trying to open it, oblivious to the pain in his terror.

"You saw something, what did you see you damn flea ridden mutt?"

"Howl!" Noishe kicked at the door, looked over his shoulder at Dirk and then kicked it again as if he was imagining kicking something else that hard.

"Stop you'll warp the locks, I'll let you go but we have to go after him!"

Noishe paused, one paw raised in a pre-kick pose. Then he smashed it into the door, but with none of the force that had set the wall the pen was attached to, to shaking. Dirk left the dog, who was picking out the bits of wood under his claws with his teeth, to gather some supplies and the keys to let the dog out. All the while the dwarf was wondering if this was such a great idea. Yet what choice did he have? The dog could follow scent where he on the other hand could follow only tracks and where tracks could mislead from what he knew of dog's smell did not.

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"Alright, easy... easy there dog." Dirk's hands were shaking as he slipped in the last key in its slot and turned. "You growl at me like you were a'fore and you and my axe get to know each other well, understand?"

Noishe, a dog, who he Dirk who was a grown dwarf was talking to like he'd talk to another dwarf, glared bloody daggers at him.

As the lock fell Dirk snatched up his axe, waited for the rabid beast's charge. Nothing came; Noishe pushed open the door and met his eyes. Suddenly Dirk felt a strong urge to put the axe down, had a feeling that those eyes were thinking him stupid. Sheathing his weapon he gave the beast a wide birth, but trailed behind it loyally as it sniffed the ground. It walked, from the pen to the grave, than continued to the bridge. For a second when the monster stopped to sniff at the very edge of the bride Dirk's heart plummeted, thinking that the boy had fallen in...

Dirk managed a sigh of relief when Noishe padded off across the bridge and began to wander around the beginning of the forest. Promptly imagine of monsters and Desian's hurting Lloyd began to play in his head and what little relief he had gathered flew to the winds. As Noishe began to pick up pace and go deeper in Dirk ran along side him, his axe thumping against his back and his packs of food and jells rattling behind him. He ran alongside the beast for hours, and then perhaps moved by pity the creature stopped and lay down in the center of the path.

"No... No I can keep going... I'm not done in yet..." No he wasn't done in just very out of shape.

Noishe growled, and then looked at the dwarf then at his furry green back.

"You're out of your mind..."

"Whine." Noishe shrugged, picked himself up and looked as if he was going to brake into a real run not a half trot he'd been keeping for Dirk's sake. Suddenly faced with the idea of being left behind, Dirk stomped down his revulsion for the animal.

"Wait, I'll get on, don't leave me behind, he needs me!"

Noishe only looked at him, and his eyes seemed to contain doubt in them, and suddenly Dirk could almost here a man's voice mutter. "He needs you? You're the one clinging to him."

"Shut up," Dirk growled, awkwardly hopped on the beasts back. "Let's go." He gripped the monster's mane as tightly as he could and it was a good thing he did. Because those 'run's that had so scared him at his house were nothing compared to a full out run. Those runs were mere jogs to the dog. Dirk closed his eyes, and it was all he could do to hold on for dear life.

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"Do you know his name?"

"Lloyd I think... Venom's muddled up his brain though; he thought I was his father... Did you give him the anti-venom?"

"Yes, I did, thank the Goddess you saw him on the side of the road."

Tylor nodded, stroked the wild brown hair out of those glazed brown eyes. There was a sheen of sweat on that small little forehead, the effects of the venom and anti-venom waging war in the child's body.

"I'll stay with him; I can put off going to Iselia a few days since I wrote to the head priestess of that region to expect me late anyhow."

The elder priest nodded, left only a candle burning by the bed, and Tylor took that small hand in his own, and to his wonder those small fingers clenched, held onto him like they would hold onto life. If that was the case, and he was the life for this little child then so be it, he would stay up all night if need be. There was no chair, so he knelt by the boy's bed for the night, holding that small hand and ignoring the other priests attempts to talk him into seeking slumber.

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They ran through Iselia, the guards chased after then, but the Noishe wasn't one for lingering. He ran faster then the winds, seemed to glide over the earth, and the ride was smooth as if they were flying. Dirk who was mortally afraid of heights however could take no comfort in that comparison. He dared to open his eyes and look down once, the ground was a blur of color, motion, and he wisely closed his eyes before he got ill. At that point he resolved only to stare at the back of Noishe's head if he was to look anywhere at all.

"Are we close yet?" He yelled, fighting to be heard by the panting dog like creature. Noishe skidded to a stop, and it was all Dirk could do to hold on. "Is he here? I don't see any traces of him!"

"Whine?" Noishe was paying his rambles no mind. He sniffed at the ground and well... a dog couldn't frown but this one seemed to.

"You lost the scent?"

They had already had a scare like that, where Noishe had halted and sniffed at the ground. It was Dirk who had spotted the tracks of a wagon, had suggested that Lloyd may have gotten a ride from some wandering pilgrim of Martel. Noishe had checked the area twice, Dirk alongside him, and they had followed the tacks praying that they were right. And perhaps they were, for there was a point there the tracks split off from the main path, headed in a roundabout way to Triet yet Noishe had started walking in the different direction. Then all of a sudden he stopped. Night had fallen, it would be pointless to check for tracks, and if Noishe had lost the scent then there was no way that they could press on until light came. Though he was tired the dog did not seem content to lie down and rest, ignored Dirk's protests and began to pick his way back to the road. Dirk walked alongside the dog, was able to keep pace with the huge beast as he walked, they were going that slow.

"You won't do him any good if you kill yourself getting to him, the scent won't be gone in the morning, and even if it is there will be tracks to follow."

Noishe turned to him, grunted, and then went down the road without a farther glance. He managed all of twenty steps before his twitching paws gave way.

Still the dog tried to get up, and kept trying. Not willing to admit defeat, not willing to give up until he was certain Lloyd was safe. Dirk could understand that, felt that, but what could he do? It's not like he could carry the thing, it was twice his size and...

And the 'thing', the 'monster', was in agony, it's legs were probably cramped, when it walked he could see hints of blisters under the paws, and it was all but crawling forward now. And it had carried him for hours without complaint. Flushing in shame Dirk went to Noishe's side.

"Easy." The dwarf said to the dog as it weakly growled at him. "I'm going to work this out..." He frowned, looked at a nearby tree then at the dog. He might be able to work some slabs of bark and push or pull the dog along, it wouldn't be comfortable, but they'd get somewhere at least. Dirk un-slung his axe from his back, and went to work.

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"You're heavier than a half ton of stone you know that?" Dirk panted, to the dog when they stopped. Lights from the house of salvation bobbed above him like disquiet spirits. He ignored the lights, ignored the dog for a moment, and went to the door. He pounded into the wood, fully intent on taking out his axe if someone didn't open up after ten seconds. The door did open and a young woman answered him. Her features were blurred in his fatigue clouded mind.

"My son... I need help to find him..."

She froze, which was exactly what he didn't need right now. He began to shove his way past here when an authorative voice cut through the fog in his head.

"Human, brown hair, brown eyes, about four...Name Lloyd?"

"He's three..." Dirk swayed, or was it the world swaying around him. "You've seen him... Where's he?"

"He came here with a priest, he's sick but more or less sa- What in the Goddess' name!"

Noishe had scraped up the energy to stagger through the door and Dirk could see that the dog was swaying.

"H-He's with the boy..." Why did his voice sound all distant and rough, that wasn't like him at all. "Where is he...? I have to see..."

His legs decided that what he was going to have was the floor, up close and personal. He collapsed at the feet of the high priest of the temple, and was only vaguely aware of another massive presence that collapsed besides him.

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Dirk woke to a person, a human, standing by his bed.

"Good morning or night... I'm not to certain what it is anymore." One lone candle sputtered weakly besides him. It illuminated a pale long face with green eyes. A matted mane of red hair framed the long and thing face of the man before him, and the white robes were touched with gold highlights. "I've been watching over your little boy... I never knew I looked so short and pudgy, nor did I see myself as a beard person."

Dirk stared at the man stupidly, not comprehending.

"Ah me, ignore that... little sleep it muddles my brain and makes me try to joke. Come on, the priests say you're not to be up till morning, but I think your boy needs you now."

Dirk rolled out of the bed, landed with a grunt, and flinched as his arms and legs screamed out with every movement. Luckily all they had to do was walk across the room to another cot. Lloyd lay under a blanket, his young face pale in the star light. He looked like a ghost, but if he was he was a tormented on. He cried out softly in his sleep, curled into a tight ball even as the dwarf watched.

Reaching out, pain forgotten Dirk meant to stroke that mess of brown hair that poked out from blanket shell Lloyd had pulled over himself. His arm, too short, fell short its mark. He was not so easily defeated however; he fought his way up to the side of the human built bed, and sat on the edge stroking Lloyd's hair.

"A dwarf with a human child..." The priest muttered. "In all my years I've never seen such a wonder."

Dirk lifted his head, glared at the man in defiance.

"I mean no insult, you don't mind do you?"

Dirk didn't know if he minded because he didn't know what was being offered. He shrugged and the human took that as invitation to sit at his boy's feet.

"It's a long time till dawn good sir, and long way from here to Iselia which is where I imagine you are headed, as am I. My name is Tylor Aruu-valen Sancrest, an honor." Tylor offered his hand and the dwarf took it in his own. "What a right mess we both are eh?" It was then that Dirk noticed that his hand was shaking, and at the same time he noticed how pale and drawn the priest looked.

"Aye to that." Dirk looked to his charge, a small smile on his lips. "I'm just glad he's safe, that's all that matters."

"Then you have your heart in the right place. I'm up to a bit of tea, if you are I can make us both cups and then a pair of sentimental old men can split a kettle and gossip."

"Sentimental?" Dirk croaked, managed a smile of his own.

"What else would a dwarf be doing with a child who's not his blood who dragged that thing behind him?" Tylor shrugged, managed to get out of his chair. "Or matter of fact a priest who's been holding that little guy's hand for five or six hours now with no thought of going to the privy?"

"A fool, and that _thing_ is our dog."

"Sentimental sounds nicer." Was Tylor's parting response and Dirk managed his first laugh in a day at least.

Xxx xxx xxx xxx

They left for Iselia three days later, Noishe was possessive of Lloyd, not allowing Tylor nor Dirk anywhere near the boy for the first day or so. They both were bit, but not mauled to death as Dirk figured they all would have been a few days ago when Noishe hated his guts. Eventually the dog allowed Dirk to go near Lloyd, but growled at Tylor until Dirk called the young man over and explained to the dog that the human was a friend. And friend they were after the long watch over Lloyd. They'd split more then a kettle that night, both being sentimental fools as Tylor termed it, had stood watch over Lloyd while he slept and spent that time in conversation.

"There are differences between a human and a dwarf, there always will be and you'll both have to understand each other if you don't want this to happen again and again. You can't replace Lloyd's father with yourself, he has to see you like that and you will have to be patient, but you have to be a father while you wait for him to decide that he'll accept you as his adopted father." Tylor had said sagely, sipping his tea. "The key word is adopted, I never accepted my adopted family as my own, that's why I wear these." Tylor shook his robes meaningfully.

"Then you understand a little of what he'd going through?"

"A little, the events of his parents leaving him were obviously traumatic, he probably nightmares about it all the time. My own just left me at someone's door step. I was lucky that the merchant was willing to take me in, but I had no love for business so they dropped me off on another doorstep and well." He looked down at his attire and chuckled.

"He wants his old family though." Dirk sighed. "I guess I don't have any choice but to find them, if they're still alive, and give him back."

"And if they're dead? You thought that they were, that's why you haven't been looking isn't it?"

"Aye, yes, but perhaps distant family..." Dirk told his stinging eyes to sting on their own time. It was wrong for a dwarf to cry, weakness, and he wasn't going to bawl like a child in front of this man. Dirk looked up, startled when the human put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't lose heart I've seen a handful find room in their hearts for both their families. Expect Lloyd to keep looking, help him look every way you can when he does so, and don't pressure the boy, he's got enough on his plate right now as it is."

"And how am I doing that now?"

"You're hesitating." Tylor said calmly. "Back and forth you hop, you have to make up your mind and confirm it with your actions even though he may never call you father. From what you've told me hesitance and impatience seems to be the problem."

"And if it is?"

"Find a way to fix it, do I look like a holy vessel of knowledge to you? I can't answer _all_ your questions Dirk. Hellfires I can't even talk my superiors into thinking a sense of humor's a good thing!"

"Your brand of humor I wonder..." Dirk mock scowled and the man laughed.

"It's catchy, see you've just caught it."

Dirk snorted, drowning his laughter in a mouth full of tea.

"Here's what I can do for you, you tell me of what a dwarf is I'll tell you what a human is, and we'll see if you can't put it together somehow so it helps you out in understanding yon scamp before he drives you absolutely mad. Now hand me the kettle, my cup's empty."

Dirk did so, poured the priest a cup and himself one then they went back to talking, all through the night and a goodly ways into the morning.

Xxx xxx xxx xxx

"You aren't in trouble." Dirk said calmly as they walked down the dusty road back to their home. He'd been calm and quiet all the time while they'd been with Tylor, made a quick stop in Iselia to get some food for the last leg of the journey. He'd let Noishe and Lloyd stay with each other with no protest, and it might have been Dirk's imagination but the dog wasn't giving him glares of death anymore. "You did nothing wrong except not tell me you were leaving; all I want you to do is tell me when you want to look again. I won't be angry with you because you're looking for your family, I'll even come with you next time and help, alright?"

Lloyd stared up at him, his expression saying that he could not believe Dirk's words.

"At the very least take you're flea bitten mutt with you next time, since he seems to have some wits in that thick skull."

And there was that glare of death; Dirks world was now back to normal. Growling Noishe padded up to him, glared down at him from his very impressive height and bared equally impressive teeth. Dirk decided to take one of Tylor's suggestions on the matter of the mutt.

"You bite me, smack me, or so much as growl and you get half of supper for the night." The dog's face became the most meek and submissive face in all the worlds. "Good, and stay that way."

He stomped down the path, crossed the bridge all the while talking to Lloyd and Noishe who were standing on the edge of the forest.

"You will stay here the night, and if it's your wish you can leave come morning, poor man I'd be if I let two youngin's starve on my threshold, so you'll have to stomach my cooking as well. That priest fellow says that if you want to leave he'll send letters to the temples of his order so that they'll help you out any way they can and I'll give you whatever you need for your journey."

There was a long pause, a long silence, and Dirk swallowed down the words of how he'd hope they'd stay with him, how staying was an option. But if he did that he'd be pressuring again, and look what his earlier pressuring had done and he'd not even seen it!

"I talked to the priests at the house of salvation, where we met up… and asked them to talk to all the pilgrim-ers and see if any of them it your pa. If he goes to the temple then he'll know to look me up, and he'll know where to go because Tylor, the priest fellow, will take them here."

He shivered, though the sun shone with a brightness and cheer he could not feel he shivered and waited for the blade to fall. That pause stretched on forever to the dwarf then at last he heard little feet pad out of the forest.

"Could me and Noshy stay a little while Mr. Dirk?"

Dirk sighed, part in pain part in relief. He expected it now; it wasn't so much like a knife twisting in his gut as it was before.

 _If he stays he's giving you a chance, you'll only get it once so don't fail_. Tylor had said on parting.

"Aye, I won't." Dirk whispered, then twisted his lips into a smile and turned. "Course you can lad, seeing as my cooking's enough to not kill you you should be safe enough with me for a while! Pen's broke though so I'm afraid the dog's going to have to share room with you."

"All right, can we go in now Mr. Dirk? My tummy's rumbling lots."

"Of course," He stepped aside and Lloyd crossed the bride, as Noishe went to cross Dirk stepped in front of him. "Here's the rules of staying with me dog, no pouncing me, no growling at either me or the boy, and no biting, and no, absolutely no carrying me anywhere ever again! Is that clear?"

"Whine." Noishe stared at him then nodded.

"Good, and if you break any of those rules, mainly the last two outside you go and stay, understood?"

Seeing the head bob up and down and the cowed expression Dirk mentally declared himself master of the house. He'd have worried had he seen Noishe turn about and look over his shoulder. As it was the dwarf was too wrapped up in smugness and thinking fondly of toasted bread with melted cheese and a slab of meat as a side. So it stands to reason he missed how Noishe winked to Lloyd, missed Lloyd's giggle, and received a very firm shove over the side of the bridge. Sputtering and cursing Dirk floundered to the bank of the river and glared daggers at the dog. With a whine Noishe licked Lloyd, was hugged by the boy, then with a parting bark ran into the woods.


End file.
